First use of smallpox as a biological weapon

According to Official Guinness Records,

The earliest documented use of the smallpox virus being used as a biological weapon was during the French and Indian Wars of 1754-67. British soldiers fighting in North America at that time distributed blankets that had been contaminated with smallpox amongst the native American Indians. Epidemics followed, killing more than 50% of the affected tribes. Smallpox is extremely lethal to populations that are not vaccinated against it. Death usually occurs within 2 weeks. Historians suspect, however, that the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro gave contaminated clothing to South American natives in the fifteenth century. see rarest disease.

For a complete list of 1754 records, please visit 1754 Guinness Records in United States.

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